Mike Fox Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Have had reduced water flow through the inboard marine diesel on Frisky, since an impellor ran dry and broke, last September. With a new impellor at medium revs, it managed a fair bit of flow, but a lot of steam, but at tickover, it seemed to produce none, just steam. Well, it got worse, and after a few days away in Yarmouth, it was clear I had to bite the bullet. I overhauled the water pump with new water and oil seals. Did it myself for the first time - I usually ask for a marine engineer for this, due to the need to press bearings out etc. That didn't fix it, so today I removed the exhaust elbow, again for the first time. The channels were a bit crusted up, so scraped them until clean, but apart from a bit of restriction on the water inlet, it seemed generally ok. I removed the water inlet pipe to the elbow, and found it quite fouled, so spent half an hour cleaning that out, but the real shock was where it was mounted to the side of the engine cooling jacket. The pipe internal diameter was about 10mm, but the engine outlet hole was 2-3mm at most, just enough for my small cross-head screwdriver. I chipped and chiselled away, with a range of screwdrivers until I could pop a 10mm drill bit down there, and gently pulled out even more debris. Reassembling with fresh seals all round, I then removed the thermostat (you've guessed it, for the first time), did the hot water test, cleaned it all, and replaced with new seals. Finally, it came time to test it. The engine refused to fire, but on the third attempt, it kicked into life, and after warming it, popped it into tickover, and there was water flow! Popped it into gear, and tried to motor the pontoon SW at 5 knots, and yayyyyy, no excessive steam. Hoping the wind drops for sea trials tomorrow. I've been dreading doing this for months, and having the day off, with too much wind to be out, meant it was the ideal opportunity. Down to the last 20 or 30 jobs to go now, and a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel Mike Peter, rich185, Adam F and 7 others 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Nice work Mike! Mike Fox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Good to hear Mike, well done Mike Fox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Fisheagle Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Well done, will be out somewhere tomorrow so we may say hello. Mike Fox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Down to the last 20 or 30 jobs to go now, and a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel Mike I hope it is the light at the end of the tunnel and not someone with a torch bringing more jobs? Mike Fox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Ah the joys of boating on the Salty Stuff ! ! ! Glad you got it sorted Mike. Jim Mike Fox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherman1055 Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 well done Mike it is good when the repair makes it work Tony Mike Fox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted May 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Thanks chaps. I know there are qualified marine engineers in the club who would find this easy, but I was way out of my comfort zone with this. I knew I had to sort it, in case I ever find myself a long way from help, and need to sort it alone one day. No-one ever told me retirement planning would give me black fingernails! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Your too young to retire Mike Keep working like the rest of us so we get a chance at some of those fish Jim and Kingfisher 126 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 You keep working and paying your taxes, they pay for our pensions Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve S Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Think of it as a learning opportunity Mike! Something to reinvigorate the old gray matter. I had an overheating problem on my Volvo' s on WOT rather than strip them down I tried Rydlyme first. You fill up the cooling system with it and wait 4 hours or so. That was nearly 2 years ago now and they have been fine since. It is an easy fix, it does sound however yours had got beyond that. Rydlyme is worth considering on systems that are prone to overheating under stress situations. Jim and niggle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted May 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Thanks for all the encouragement to keep working.. Steve, the engine on Frisky is a 25 year old Volvo 2003, raw water cooled, so no system to add anything to. I can envisage flushing the system every year or two with a recycling bucket and hose, and something like that might work really well. Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve S Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Rydlyme is for the raw water side. You redirect the inlet into a bucket of the stuff run the engine until it appears to be coming out the outlet. Stop the engine, make a cup of tea, break out the rods etc. 4 hours later reconnect to the sea water inlet. Run engine, watch some yucky looking stuff exit the outlet, job done. niggle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Thanks Steve! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Just did mine with Rydelime, we disconnected the hose to exhaust elbow and just put a hose into water intake bowl, connected 350gph bilge pump in line and recirculated for 1.5 hours and then flushed with fresh water, don't forget to remove the impeller ! The mix should be a 50/50 solution , we put a snail shell into a test sample and watched it fizz away to nothing, amazing stuff, saw a bulletin from Volvo who recommend using this stuff They sell it at the chandlers in Cobbs. Mick niggle, Kingfisher 126 and Coddy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Forgot to add, you have to put a hose from disconnected exhaust rubber hose to the recirculating bucket to make the closed loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Hi Mike....sorry to be the bringer of bad news my friend, but for the sack of austerity, the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched off. Hopefully catch up July meeting Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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